Ms CARTER - 2001-06-06
In 1997, the Kardu Numida Council at Port Keats got into serious financial difficulties and were unable to repay debts or progress development. I believe the council approached the NT government for help in the form of a Treasury loan. Could you please tell the House how this remote community is going and have they progressed in any way?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a great question and it is a great news story about a community, the sixth largest community in the Northern Territory, Wadeye ...
Mrs Braham: Why don’t you let the minister for local government answer it? It is more a local government question.
Mr BALDWIN: Mr Speaker, I am sorry that the ...
Members interjecting.
M SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment has the floor.
Mr BALDWIN: And Regional Development.
Mr SPEAKER: And Regional Development.
Mr BALDWIN: I am sorry that the member for Braitling is so offended that I might answer this question.
Mr Ah Kit: I am too.
Mr BALDWIN: Mr Speaker, just picking up on that interjection, if the member for Arnhem is so offended he might get out to some of these communities, including his own, and find out what is going on.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
M BALDWIN: Let’s not get the interjections get in the way of this great story.
Quite some time ago as the member for Port Darwin said, the council and the community of Wadeye under the administration of Kardu Numida Council did run into some difficulties with their finances in the council. There were many meetings held in those days to look at a strategy of how to pull themselves out of those difficulties. I have to say they tackled the problem head on and the outcome was that they approached Treasury, the Northern Territory government, for a loan - which they do not normally provide easily. But in this case, because the community did have a strategy, that loan was forthcoming on a repayment basis, of course.
I am glad to be able to say today the elders of that council and the members of the Kardu Numida Council will be coming to Darwin to hand over the final payment of that loan as a symbolic gesture, not for us but for their own community. They see it as very, very important that they have worked very hard over the last four to five years to put aside other priorities that were pressing for them to ensure that this loan was repaid. They are coming in today to hand over that cheque as the final payment to this loan which will now free up other moneys in their cash flow which will allow the local development of that community in other areas that they have put aside for some time, certainly in the social and physical infrastructure side. Things that I am working with them on as minister for regional development and not only as local member. Things that will provide great benefits for that community and I think they should be congratulated for being so dedicated in the way they have tackled this issue. I am surprised that the member for Arnhem wants to denigrate them.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is a great question and it is a great news story about a community, the sixth largest community in the Northern Territory, Wadeye ...
Mrs Braham: Why don’t you let the minister for local government answer it? It is more a local government question.
Mr BALDWIN: Mr Speaker, I am sorry that the ...
Members interjecting.
M SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment has the floor.
Mr BALDWIN: And Regional Development.
Mr SPEAKER: And Regional Development.
Mr BALDWIN: I am sorry that the member for Braitling is so offended that I might answer this question.
Mr Ah Kit: I am too.
Mr BALDWIN: Mr Speaker, just picking up on that interjection, if the member for Arnhem is so offended he might get out to some of these communities, including his own, and find out what is going on.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
M BALDWIN: Let’s not get the interjections get in the way of this great story.
Quite some time ago as the member for Port Darwin said, the council and the community of Wadeye under the administration of Kardu Numida Council did run into some difficulties with their finances in the council. There were many meetings held in those days to look at a strategy of how to pull themselves out of those difficulties. I have to say they tackled the problem head on and the outcome was that they approached Treasury, the Northern Territory government, for a loan - which they do not normally provide easily. But in this case, because the community did have a strategy, that loan was forthcoming on a repayment basis, of course.
I am glad to be able to say today the elders of that council and the members of the Kardu Numida Council will be coming to Darwin to hand over the final payment of that loan as a symbolic gesture, not for us but for their own community. They see it as very, very important that they have worked very hard over the last four to five years to put aside other priorities that were pressing for them to ensure that this loan was repaid. They are coming in today to hand over that cheque as the final payment to this loan which will now free up other moneys in their cash flow which will allow the local development of that community in other areas that they have put aside for some time, certainly in the social and physical infrastructure side. Things that I am working with them on as minister for regional development and not only as local member. Things that will provide great benefits for that community and I think they should be congratulated for being so dedicated in the way they have tackled this issue. I am surprised that the member for Arnhem wants to denigrate them.
Mr PALMER (Leader of Government Business): Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016